Shutter mounting clip

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to improvements in mounting or hanger clip devices and more particularly to novel clip devices for detachably mounting structures such as window shutters and the like. The embodiment of the present invention disclosed herein includes a first sheet metal clip member having a section adapted for fixed attachment to a wall surface, as for example the outer wall surface of a building, and having another integral yieldable or flexible section provided with a tongue accommodating recess. A second clip member includes a section attachable to a wall surface, as for example the inner surface of a window shutter, and another integral section having a tongue adapted to be received by the recess in the first clip member for deflecting said recessed section in a direction away from the wall surface to which said first clip member is attachable.

United States Patent [191 Reinwall May 6,1975

[73] Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc., Chicago,

Ill.

[22] Filed: Apr. 17, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 351,834

[52] US. Cl 248/224; 403/407 [51] Int. Cl. F16m 13/00 [58] Field of Search 403/407; 248/224, 475 R,

Primary ExaminerWilliam H. Schultz Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Olson, Trexler, Wolters, Bushnell & Fosse, Ltd.

[5 7] ABSTRACT The present invention relates to improvements in mounting or hanger clip devices and more particularly to novel clip devices for detachably mounting structures such as window shutters and the like. The embodiment of the present invention disclosed herein includes a first sheet metal clip member having a section adapted for fixed attachment to a wall surface, as for example the outer wall surface of a building, and having another integral yieldable or flexible section provided with a tongue accommodating recess. A second clip member includes a section attachable to a wall surface, as for example the inner surface of a window shutter, and another integral section having a tongue adapted to be received by the recess in the first clip member for deflecting said recessed section in a direction away from the wall surface to which said first clip member is attachable.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SHUTTER MOUNTING CLIP SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is not uncommon for window or door shutters to become loosened from their mounting as a result of temperature variations and severe weather conditions to which such structures are normally subjected. It is one of the important objects of the present invention to provide a unique mounting or hanger device for window shutters, door shutters and the like which will maintain the shutter in a firm, fixed position regardless of the severity of weather conditions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved mounting devices of the type set forth above which may be installed with a minimum amount of effort and skill and which will enable the attachment and detachment of shutters to wall surfaces with utmost ease.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates mounting or hanger devices adapted to maintain the inner surfaces of shutters and the like in proper spaced relation with respect to a wall surface.

Still more specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide novel and economical shutter mounting devices of the above-mentioned type which will serve yieldably to maintain a shutter in a vertical position upon a wall surface such as the outer wall surface of a building.

The present invention also contemplates mounting devices for shutters and the like of which may be produced very economically from sheet metal stock by practicing conventional methods of stamping and forming.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparent when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the external wall portion of a building upon which is mounted a shutter equipped with mounting or hanger devices of the type contemplated by the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the manner in which the mounting clip device of the present invention may be employed to yieldably maintain a shutter upon a concrete wall surface; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating in detached relation the two sheet metal elements of the mounting clip device illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing more in detail wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be seen that one embodiment of a mounting or hanger clip device contemplated by the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 10. The device is comprised of two elongate clip members 12 and 14 which may be formed from sheet metal stock.

The clip member 12 includes a lower section 16 and an upper member 18 formed integral therewith. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the lower section 16 of the clip member 12 is provided with an aperture 20 for accommodating a fastener such as a screw member 22 to secure said lower section against the outer surface or wall 24 of siding material 26. Siding material as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is usually in the form of wood material and hence the screw member 22 may be a conventional type wood screw. The upper section 18 of the clip 12 is laterally yieldable with respect to the wall surface 24 as clearly shown in FIG. 2. The free extremity of the upper section 18 is provided with an aperture 28 for accommodating a substantially rigid tongue section 30.

The clip member 14 comprises a lower section 32 and an upper section 34 formed intergral therewith which supports the aforesaid tongue 30. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the section 32 of the clip member 14 may be clamped against the inner surface of a window shutter 38 by a conventional sheet metal screw 40. The screw 40 when rotated within a helical thread impression 42 formed in the clip section 32 will clamp the section 32 against the inner surface 36 of the window shutter 38. It is not uncommon for such shutters to be made of plastic material. The section 16 of the clip member 12 is provided with work engaging prongs or teeth 44 adapted to dig into the wooden siding 26, and the lower section 32 of the clip member 14 is likewise provided with barbs or teeth 46 for impinging the inner surface or wall 36 of the shutter 38 when the screw member 40 is completely inserted as shown in FIG. 2. These teeth or barbs 44 and 46 function to prevent rotative displacement of their respective clip members.

The installation of the clip or hanger device 10 first involves the attachment of the clip member 12 to the wall surface 24. The upper section 18 is in the form of a reverse bend or U shape. When the clip member 12 is initially applied, the free edge of the laterally deflectable reversely bent section 18 will bear against the wall surface 24 as indicated by the dot and dash lines of FIG. 2. A pair of the clip members 14 is applied to the upper inner surface 36 of the shutter 38, with the recesses 28 thereof in position to telescopically accommodate complementary downwardly inclined tongues 30. The directional arrow A in FIG. 4 indicates the movement of the tongues 30 as they are brought into registration with complementary recess 28 of the clip member 12. This will cause the sections 28 to be sprung away from the wall surface 24 so as to yieldably or resiliently urge the shutter toward the left as viewed in FIG.

I 2. After this has been accomplished, a suitable screw member may be inserted at 48, FIG. 1, at the bottom of the shutter 38 so as to clamp the lower portion of the shutter against the adjacent wall surface. Thus, the lateral deflection of the section 18 of the clip member 12 resulting from the telescopic association of the tongue 30 and the recess 28 will assure firm mounting of the shutter upon the outer wall of the wooden siding 26. The sections 32 and 34 are formed with bosses 50 to lend lateral strength to said sections 32 and 34.

In FIG. 3, the above-described clip or hanger device 10 is disclosed in association with the outer vertical wall surface 24a of a concrete building structure 26a. A suitable screw fastener 22a serves to clamp the lower sections 16 of the clip members 12 against the wall surface 24a.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the present invention contemplates a novel and very practical device for convenient mounting of a shutter as well as the convenient detachment of said shutter with respect to an outer wall surface. To disengage the shutter, it is only necessary to remove the fastener element from the area 48 and then lift the shutter so that the rigid tongues 30 of the clip member 14 becomes disengaged from the recesses 28 of the clip member 12. The two elements or parts which comprise the shutter device may be produced from sheet metal stock by practicing conventional stamping and forming methods. Hence clip devices as contemplated hereby may be produced economically. The engagementor disengagement of the clip members may be accomplished with the exercise of minimum effort and skill.

While for purposes of illustration, certain structural features of clip devices have been disclosed herein, it should be understood that other modifications and changes are contemplated which come within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

The above-described clip device 10 is so constructed as to compensate for the effects of thermo cycling. Plastic shutters have a greater coefficient of expansion than plastic, cement, wood, etc., commonly employed in wall construction. The plastic shutter 38, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is mounted upon the wooden siding 26, and the affects of thermo conditions are illustrated by dot and dash lines B and C. These lines B and C represent the upper section 34 of the clip member 14 and serve to illustrate the extent to which expansion and contraction of the plastic shutter may result in vertical displacement of the clip member 14 with permissive resultant sliding of the tongue 30 relative to the slot 28. Despite such variations resulting from temperature conditions, the depending tongue of the clip member 14 maintains contact with the yieldable upper section 18 of the clip member 12. It has been found that where plastic shutters are secured to a wall surface solely by the use of screws, expansion and contraction of the shutter may result in the screws being sheared. Clip devices constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention permit variations in expansion and contraction of the shutter material without impairing the shutter holding effectiveness of the clip device.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. Mounting means for hanging a structure subject to expansion and contraction on a wall comprising: a first member having a first section secured to said structure and a second section projecting outwardly from said first section and provided with a depending tongue including a major dependent portion, a second member having a first section secured to said wall and a resilient second section which is shaped in the form of a reverse bend and is provided with a free end portion which contains a slot that receives said tongue for sliding movement therein and which reverse bend is stressed outwardly relative to the first section of said second member away from the wall under influence of the assembled tongue therewith so that it resiliently urges said structure toward said wall when said structure is hung irrespective of expansion and contraction of said structure as the tongue slides in the slot.

2. Mounting means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first section of said first member and the major portion of said tongue are substantially parallel and project in the same general direction.

3. Mounting means as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first section of said second member is substantially parallel to said first section of said first member and projects in the same general direction and said free end portion projects at a small acute angle with respect to said tongue at the point said tongue passes through said slot.

4. Mounting means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reverse bend opens toward the wall. 

1. Mounting means for hanging a structure subject to expansion and contraction on a wall comprising: a first member having a first section secured to said structure and a second section projecting outwardly from said first section and provided with a depending tongue including a major dependent portion, a second member having a first section secured to said wall and a resilient second section which is shaped in the form of a reverse bend and is provided with a free end portion which contains a slot that receives said tongue for sliding movement therein and which reverse bend is stressed outwardly relative to the first section of said second member away from the wall under influence of the assembled tongue therewith so that it resiliently urges said structure toward said wall when said structure is hung irrespective of expansion and contraction of said structure as the tongue slides in the slot.
 2. Mounting means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first section of said first member and the major portion of said tongue are substantially parallel and project in the same general direction.
 3. Mounting means as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first section of said second member is substantially parallel to said first section of said first member and projects in the same general direction and said free end portion projects at a small acute angle with respect to said tongue at the point said tongue passes through said slot.
 4. Mounting means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reverse bend opens toward the wall. 